AUTOMOTIVE NETWORK BUS MESSAGE SUPPRESSION FOR REDUCING BATTERY DRAIN

An electronic controller module in a vehicle is powered by a battery during a Key-Off state. The electronic controller module has a bus interface for transmitting messages to and receiving messages from a multiplex bus, wherein the messages include a periodic sequence of Network Management (NM) messages transmitted during a normal operating mode. A control circuit in the module is configured to detect an OFF state of the vehicle in which use of power from the battery is limited within the vehicle, detect a State of Charge (SOC) of the battery, and compare the detected SOC to a critical battery threshold. The control circuit is further configured to determine an elapsed time beginning when the OFF state is detected and the SOC is no longer above the critical battery threshold, and when the elapsed time is greater than a time threshold then the sequence of NM messages is inhibited.